The present invention relates to Thermal Management Systems (TMS) with a shared heat exchanger flow.
Thermal Management Systems (TMS) include heat exchangers and associated equipment which exchange gas turbine engine heat with an airflow or fuel flow. Gas turbine engine architecture typically dictates TMS heat exchanger placement.
Conventional TMS heat exchanger locations may partially interrupt the engine thrust airflow and reduce engine efficiency. One conventional TMS heat exchanger placement is typically within a core cowl area and axially deep within a fan cowl. The heat exchanger airflow is ducted inward toward the engine centerline through the heat exchanger, then ducted outward to merge with the bypass flow. Such ducts may be relatively long and serpentine to guide the heat exchanger airflow away from, then back into the bypass flow. This location may also introduce mixing losses which may further detract from engine efficiency.
Heat exchangers are traditionally placed at separate locations within the engine airstreams in order to achieve efficient cooling because temperature-rise restrictions limit the placement of heat exchangers.